Prisoner of War
by ImObviouslyCrazy
Summary: Sent to retrieve the fairy Hook stole from Pan, Tala is captured by the Captain himself, and taken as his prisoner. However, she discovers he is not the man she thought him to be, and her status as prisoner may change to something else entirely. Rated M for violence and smut.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! So I got this idea recently and wanted to write it out and see how it goes :) hope you enjoy the story, and if you do, all reviews and follows are appreciated! They give me fuel to keep writing!**

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Chapter 1:

Her Mother called her Tala. She was born under a full moon, something significant to her people. Tala, wolf, was the name she was given, and she was grateful for it. She was given strength by her name, power. Fearlessness. She put it to use even at an early age.

Neverland was their home, their world. Peter Pan, the magic boy kept the island's threats at bay. Not for glory or praise, but because it was fun to him. An immortal boy that never aged grew bored easily. They all did, the children that followed him.

The fairy that belonged to them kept the Lost Boys from aging. Immortal herself, she loved taking care of the children, feeling needed. Her magic was selfish, but the Boys hardly minded never having to grow up. They basked in their youth, used it as a weapon.

The Captain loathed the Lost Boys. He was growing old, nearing his last few years. The island was not kind to him, and neither was Pan. The Captain was kept at sea by the Lost Boys who ruled the land for a hundred years. The island's magic wasn't enough to prevent the Captain from becoming ill with age. He grew desperate, and my mother always told me desperate men were the most dangerous.

The fairy was the key to the Captain's survival. For him to reverse the aging, he needed the magic of a fairy, or two, so he began hunting them, what few remained. Pan's fairy was his first target. For many moons, they fought amongst themselves. In the end, the Captain was able to snag the fairy away from the Lost Boys. Everything changed, then, and a war was waged.

Tala's people were no long safe, no longer protected. Nothing mattered more to Pan than retrieving his little magic woman. The years that passed wore him down, causing the magic boy to become a man. Desperate to retain his youth, Pan came to her tribe for help.

They agreed, in exchange for a promise from Pan himself, to send their best warriors to retrieve the fairy from the Ship. Tala, they begged, you must go. She agreed, as did her brother and many other young warriors from their tribe. They headed for the Ship, to steal away the fairy from the Captain that kept her prisoner.

That morning, Tala shed her traditional beads, exchanging them for thick leather bands around her wrists, throat, and ankles. They protected the soft spots of her body, those that would likely kill her if injured. The pirates fought with daggers and swords, so the young warriors dressed to protect from such things. Their faces were painted with war paint, a thin stripe of blue over a thin stripe of white on each of their foreheads, and black around their eyes.

A prayer was said for each of them, and a feast was served in their honor. The tribe valued warriors, valued family. Their lives were important, so the elders prayed for a safe return. They were confident in their hunting abilities and training. Tala was sure that she would return with the prize. She would save the island and protect her people. Tala, the wolf, the predator. She was strong.

They snuck onto the Ship while it was docked, knowing that their strength was on land, not at sea. Tala threw her rope over the side, pulling until it snagged on something. The lights and noise on the ship would be enough to cover her invasion as long as it continued. After a brief nod to the young men she accompanied, she began her climb onto the ship.

Like a cat, once up the the side of the ship she silently crawled along the edge, hiding in the dark, making her way to the back of the Ship where she knew the cabin would be. Once close to the door, she slithered down from the edge and moved to turn the handle. It was locked, unfortunately, so she had to get creative.

She picked up the nearest heavy object, a metal sphere that she knew was used in their big weapons that made the birds scatter from the trees. She struggled a bit but lifted it enough to drop it down on the door handle. After a few more times, it bent, then broke loose. Tala pushed through the door, but once inside, she heard yelling and commotion at the other end of the ship.

She was concerned for her people, and part of her screamed to run and help them. However, in the back corner of the room, hanging from the wall in a lantern that was sealed shut, she noticed a faint glow. Tala crept back to the lanterns, standing on her toes to look inside. There she was, Pan's fairy. She lifted it from the wall, knowing that the fairy was their mission, their whole purpose for risking their lives to begin with.

Tala cradled the glass container close to her chest and made a break for the door. Just as she pushed through the door, she felt cold silver pressing into the bottom of her chin. The sound of heavy boots reached her ears, and she looked up to meet the gaze of the captain himself.

He wasnt the old man she knew of or expected. No, the Captain in front of her was a man of youth, no more than thirty years of age. He had shaggy black hair that curled at the ends in a way that framed his face and nearly covered his piercing gaze frim view. There was a short black stubble along his jaw and chin instead of the beard she'd seen before.

"Ah, just as I expected," he smirked down at her. Keeping that silver hook pushed up underneath her jaw, Hook took the glass container away from her. Setting it down on his desk, he took Tala by the arm and dragged her out onto the deck of the ship. "Found a straggler, lads," he called out, throwing her down next to one of her people. His arms were tied behind his back, just the the others.

"Let's kill them," a pirate hissed from the back of the bunch.

"Aye, that would be the easiest solution," the Captain nodded, eyes scanning the row of five tribesman, and the one girl. "However, I have a better idea. In war, one must have allies, lads. Perhaps we can strike a deal with the savages."

The Captain grabbed one of the bound tribesman and yanked him to his feet. Tala wasn't bound, and she lunged for the Captain in a panic, desperate to free her friends from the cluthches of the dirty pirates. He was stronger than Tala, as much as she hated to admit it. Easily, he took her throat in his hand, then threw her into the crowd of pirates.

Arms and hands wrapped around and grabbed her to prevent her from lashing out again. She hated having their dirty paws all over her, but she said nothing.

"And what's your name little girl?" The Captain asked her in amusement. She stayed silent for a moment, but when that deadly silver hook sliced across the young warriors cheek, drawing blood, Tala knew she had to answer.

"I am Tala," she told him through her teeth. He looked at her for a moment, then chuckled,

"Tala, hm? Aye, lads, it seems we've captured ourselves a wolf. Or... more like a pup." Tala spit his direction, but it didn't phase him in the slightest. "Hold the girl. Send the rest off the plank."

"Off the plank!" The pirates cheered and bellowed from behind her. Tala struggled, pulling desperately at her arms and legs, but there was no use. She was held firm while the rest of the crew shoved each young warrior onto the wooden board hanging off the ship. One by one they were forced to jump from that board into the shallow water beneath. She hoped they wouldn't injure themselves. They had to come back for her after all.

"Hook," the pirate holding her called to the Captain. "What're we keeping the girl fer?"

"Perhaps we can make use of our little pup," the Captain shrugged, "but more importantly, she's our hostage, lads. Should the savages try to attack again, we will threaten to kill the girl. If she's as important as I think she is with a name like Tala, they'll be willing to bargain."

"Aye, Captain," the pirate agreed. "Good thinking. What do I do with her fer now?"

"Throw her in my cabin and watch the door. I'll figure out a more permanent prison for her after dinner, Smee." He turned and walked away, his heavy boots thudding against the creaking wood beneath him. Tala wanted to tear into him, to show him just what that wolf could do. But her thin frame wasn't strong enough to free her arms from two burly pirates.

She was trapped, though she was already planning her escape. Tala refused to be the Captain's prisoner. Her people needed her, and they needed her to bring back the fairy. She would stay and pretend to be a good captive, that is, until she had an opportunity to steal the fairy away and get back to her tribe and family. How she missed them already.


	2. Chapter 2

**To the wonderful person who reviewed last chapter, thank ya :) it made my day and Im grateful for it. Enjoy the update! Ill try to put the chapters out pretty regularly.**

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Chapter 2:

Tala waited patiently behind the cabin door, a broken piece of glass in her hand. It had been two days since she was taken hostage by the Captain and his bumbling idiots. She stayed quiet and still for those two days, expecting her people to return to rescue her.

However, when they didn't come, she knew that her freedom needed to be taken into her own hands. Something was keeping her people at bay, and she could only guess it was Hook himself. Tala had to escape on her own, even if it meant killing the Captain.

The cabin door swung open after nearly an hour of waiting. With a small war cry, Tala leapt from her position behind the door, expecting to catch him by surprise and injure him enough to make her grand escape. Hook, it seemed, was a more formiddable opponent than she expected.

After the glass sliced at the baggy sleeve to his loose white shirt, Hook quickly ducked backwards to avoid her. When she raised her hand to stab the glass into any piece of skin she could reach, his hand flew up to catch her wrist. Tala pushed, as hard as she could, but he was stronger than she was.

"Very good effort, lass," he chuckled, a dry laugh that came from a place of mocking that only made Tala angrier. She groaned in frustration, finally having to drop the glass to avoid letting it dig any deeper. Her palm was already bleeding from a gash that spread completely across.

Hook kicked her shin out from under her, forcing her down to her knees but keeping his grip on her wrist. He held it up to inspect the wound for a moment. When she tugged at it, though, he wuickly released it. Tala glared up at him.

"They will come for me."

"I hope so, little wolf. I'm counting on it." He turned his arm to examine the new hole in his shirt, then clicked his tongue in distaste. Tala briefly wished he had still been that weak, crippled old man. If she could escaped with the fairy, he would start aging again. Pan could steal back those years that Hook was slowly taking from him.

"My people do not bargain with pirates," Tala hissed, hoping to make herself useless to him, though she knew it would be nearly impossible. She was the daughter of a high ranking member of their tribe. She would be a priority. She was sure of it.

"What did you break?" He asked, ignoring her comment. He walked further into the cabin, heavy boots thudding beneath him as he moved to where Tala had dropped a large glass pitcher full of rum on the ground to steal a chunk of the glass. He frowned. "That was a gift from a friend."

"I did not expect you to have any," she shot back, cradling her bloody hand against her chest. Hook pushed at the shattered glass on the floor with the tip of his boot.

"An old friend, long dead I'm sure." He flicked his gaze back up to her, then brought a hand up to rub over the black stubble along his jaw, as if he was thinking deeply about something. "Perhaps I should start putting you to use, love. If you insist on causing problems, it would benefit me to have you where you can be better monitored."

"I will do nothing for you," she grimaced.

"Oh, you will, little wolf. You'll work or you'll suffer." He turned away from her, moving to a large, black painted armoire on the other end of the cabin. He pulled it open and began digging through it. "However, I can't have you on deck in those rags. You'll be a distraction to my men."

Tala looked down at herself, at the band of furs that wrapped around her chest but left her shoulders and stomach bare. Her skirt was made of a rare animal skin, so it was short and bejeweled. She didn't understand the problem with her outfit. It was traditional dress, if not a symbol of wealth to her people.

"Ah, here we are." He pulled out a puffy white shirt, much like the one he was wearing but with shorter sleeves. He tossed it to her, but she made no move to catch it with her bloodied hand. Instead, she just continued to stare at him. "And these."

Another bundle of cloth landed in front of her. This time, it was a pair of pants, much like his own but smaller and black instead of brown. Tala lowered her injured hand to her knee, reaching with her other hand to feel the fabric. It was much lighter than the furs and skins she was used to, thinner.

"Lass, if you don't dress yourself, I'll do it for you," he warned with a sly grin. She shot him a deadly glare, then grabbed the bundles in her uninjured hand. "When you're done, Mr. Smee will see to that nasty gash you have yourself. He'll be waiting outside." Hook left, then, closing the cabin door behind him and leaving her to do as she was told.

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Tala looked at herself in Hook's dirty mirror once he was gone. Her war paint had smeared under her eyes, and the pirate clothes made her feel like she was betraying her traditions, her identity. She had become a wolf in sheeps clothing.

A soft knock on the door got her attention, and a smaller, stockier man shuffled into the room. She recognized him. He'd helped hold her back when her people were pushed off the plank. He was a man in his forties, with hunched shoulders and extra weight in his mid region.

"Sorry to bother yer, missus, but Captain says you hurt yerself," he held up a strip of cloth and a small bowl. "It's a fairy remedy. Told me to wipe it on yer wound." He walked over to her, and despite her instinct to attack and run away, she stayed still. After all, he was only taking orders.

Smee, she assumed, lifted her injured hand with his calloused finger and turned it over to see his palm. With his thumb, he wiped some of the green paste like substance in the bowl over her cut. Once it was covered, he used the white cloth to wrap around and bandage her hand.

"This way you'll avoid any nasty infections. The Jolly Roger aint the cleanest ship to sail the Seven Seas, missus. You gotta be careful." He gave her a quick pat on the shoulder, then shuffled back towards the door. "Come along, child. He wants you out on deck."

Tala hesitated, but eventually followed him. He seemed like a reasonable man for a pirate, which was a little odd. He was polite, and it caught her off guard but made her like him more than all the others. She still didn't trust any of them.

It was nice to feel the sun on her tanned skin when she stepped out of the cabin behind Smee. It was a bright morning, and the birds were chirping away. However, she quickly noticed that the land was no longer there to keep her grounded. The sea roared beneath the ship. She quickly ran to the edge, looking down at nothing but crystal clear waters.

"Aye, we've set sail," Smee explained. "Captain has an errand to run at The Cove." Tala frowned at that, looking out over the sea and seeing her islanr fading away in the distance. It didn't matter if she made an escape any more. There was no where for her to go.

"What's the matter, little wolf?" Came Hook's all too smooth voice from beside her. She lifted her gaze and turned to see that devilish smirk of his. "Don't tell me you get sea sick."

"You've stolen me from my home," Tala huffed. "You are the only thing that makes me sick." He rolled his eyes at her, then let his gaze fall to her bandaged hand.

"Smee took care of you, I see." She focused back on the ocean and ignored him. Hook chuckled a bit at her continued defiance. She would be a hell of a beast to tame, that one. "Starting today, you will work for me. For this ship. You will cook and clean until sunset. Then, like the rest of the crew, you can relax and have a pint or two. Or go to sleep."

"I'm no pirate."

"Ah, but you are for now, lass," Hook argued politely. "As long as you are my prisoner, you will work for me like everyone else. The Jolly Roger gives no free rides, love."

"Then maybe I'll jump overboard."

"Aye, that would relieve you of your duties." He stepped a little closer to her, then used his hook to push her long black braid behind her back. "However, the sea has no mercy, little wolf. She would swallow you right up, and then you not only fail your people but yourself, as well."

"What do you care?" She hissed at him spitefully.

"I need you for negotiations," he told her honestly. "Losing you at sea would irreparably damage any relationship I might have with your tribe. No, I need you alive. You need to be alive. That's how I know you won't jump, little wolf. So if we're done telling stories, Mr. Smee will lead you to the kitchen so you can begin."

She stared at him in disdain for a moment longer, then pushed off the edge of the ship and walked back to where Smee was. She'd rather deal with him, she decided, than the dishonorable Captain Hook. Smee offered a kind smile, then lead her down into the center of the ship.

Tala wanted so badly just to kill Hook and escape with the fairy she was sent to retrieve. She and the other warriors needed to make amends for their failure, but there was no way to do so this far out at sea. The waves and currents trapped her on the ship, and Hook knew it. Tala was now, and would continue to be, a hostage.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! Here's another update :) I hope to keep them coming regularly if possible. I like the story and characters so far. Thanks so much for the constructive feedback, dearest reviewer on the last chapter :) it really helps me know where to go, what you like and dislike so i can keep up the good stuff and improve the bad. So thank you! Enjoy :)**

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Chapter 3:

Tala let out a disgusted huff as she picked up a particularly dirty piece of fabric from the pile of dirty clothes she was ordered to wash. She sat on her knees by the bucket, throwing the fabric piece by piece into the water and kneading it repeatedly.

The alcohol that the pirates dumped in the bucket to mix with the water to sterilize their clothes burned her eyes and throat. It was a strong smell, something she definitely wasn't used to as her people didn't have rum. They never cared to either. Sometimes they would burn specific herbs together to hallucinate and visit their ancestors. But only high ranking members could do things like that.

She went through the pile of clothes as quickly as she could, eager to get away from the strong smell of rum that permeated from the bucket. She switched over to the trough of clean water to rinse it all out, then hung them up over a rack like she was told to.

Pirates were truly disgusting creatures, she decided, and she would jump over the edge of the ship if she didn't have a mission to complete. Being Hooks servant was exhausting and horrifying. Her people were called savages, yet they were much cleaner and much more independent.

Once she was finished with the clothes, she climbed up the latter to get back to the top deck. The fresh air was a relief, and the breeze that brushed over her slightly sweaty skin cooled her immensely. She sat for a moment to catch her breath. It was so stuffy below.

"Tala, dear," came Smee's voice from across the ship. She let out a sigh, then pushed herself up to her feet, though it pained her lower back to do so. She shimmied through the crowd of men working to get to the stocky older man. "Captain would like to see you in his cabin."

"Why?"

"I don't ask why, miss," he told her honestly, shuffling towards the cabin. Tala followed behind him, a little wary and uneasy about going back there or being alone with him. He was a dangerous man. Even though she wasnt afraid of him, she wasn't stupid enough to not be cautious around him.

When she stepped into the cabin, Smee left immediately and pulled the door closed on his way out. Tala wished the older man had stayed, since Smee seemed to have some sort of compassion that he extended out to her. She was grateful for it.

"Hello, love," Hooks voice brought her attention to him. He had his boot up on a stool, sliding a small dagger into the side of it. He pushed his pant leg down over it, then stood upright and looked directly at Tala. "We're almost to the Cove. Smee has been ordered to keep you locked in here."

"Why?" She questioned with a frown. "I can't run. Why lock me away?" He lifted a little glass bottle with a cork in it that was tied around his neck with a string. Inside of the bottle, was the dim glow of the little fairy Tala was sent to retrieve.

"Tinkerbelle will be with me, so there is no sense in raiding my cabinets looking for her." He tucked the bottle away underneath his collar, then reached for a long, withered brown leather coat that laid strewn over the bed. "We will return to the ship by sundown."

Tala said nothing more as Hook slid by her to leave the cabin. She already planned her escape, so there was no sense in arguing. He left without another word, and Tala began digging around for anything she could use as a weapon. She managed to find a spare hook, so she grabbed it and waited for a little while.

After some time had passed, and the ship had slid ashore somewhere, Tala began knocking one of Hook's heavy boots against his bed frame. She then rushed behind the door, just in time as it swung open and a panicked Smee waddled in.

"What is it, Miss?" He called out frantically. Tala took the opportunity while he was looking around, to sneak out of the door he left open. The poor man was hopelessly dimwitted, and she wondered why Hook ever left him in charge of anything important.

The deck was empty, and she was grateful for it. Tala found where they had dropped the rope ladder over the side of the ship. She looked back for a moment to see if she would be noticed, then began climbing down.

The ship had landed on an island that was, quite literally, just floating in the middle of the ocean. It was small and covered by sharp jagged rocks. There was a large opening to a cave not far from the ship, and she knew they must have gone in there. With the Captain's rusty old hook in hand, she started towards the opposite end of the beach.

There was a pool of water in between some rocks that was crystal clear and almost glowing. Tala was excited at the prospect of being able to drink clean, cool water straight from the source, instead of rum or boiled ocean water.

She knelt down on the rock that sloped down into the little pool of water. She cupped her hands together, then brought up a handful of water to her lips. It was delicious and cold, truly refreshing after a week or more at sea with a bunch of pirates.

As she was drinking, she noticed something move at the very bottom of the pool. It had been surprisingly deep for its position, but then again, the rocks that trapped the water probably went down further than she initially thought.

Tala sat back, staring at the water. A shadowy figure came rushing towards the surface, and she scooted back away from the edge. Tala turned to scramble away entirely.

"A woman," a soft voice brought her attention back to the pool of water. "My, I havent seen a woman in decades." She paused and turned to see the upper body of a man, leaning against the rock she were had been sitting. He had golden blond hair and piercing blue eyes. His chest and arms were toned to perfection.

She had heard stories about the mermaids that lived in the caves around Neverland, but she thought they were all women. Or, shaped like women anyways. No, this was a man, an incredibly attractive man, with a scaly tail and swayed behind him.

"You seen to be in some kind of trouble," he observed, leaning on his elbow and scrutinizing her further. "You're afraid. You're running from something." What kind of magic did this merman possess? How could he know these things about her.

"I was taken prisoner," she told him honestly, moving a little further back from shore. His brow furrowed, not in concern but in curiosity.

"By Hook?"

"Yes."

"What a devil that man is," the merman clicked his tongue. His tone was soft, charming. He had dimples on each cheek that only added to his looks when he smiled at her. "I bet I could help you escape. I could take you back to your island."

Her eyes widened at that. She didnt know why he'd want to help her, but the idea of going home was something she wanted to indulge in. She moved a little closer to her, eyes searching his.

"How?" She asked desperately.

"Well, there's an old raft in the cave," he explained, "and I could lead you back. I know the way." He pushed himself up a little, his muscular abdomen stretching so he could be closer to her without moving onto the rock completely. "Come closer. I'll tell you how to find it."

Tala hesitated for a moment. It seemed too good to be true, but she was desperate. Her family was missing her, and she was missing them. Her tribe was everything to her. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear, then slid down the rock a little ways to get closer to him. As she leaned in to hear the location of this secret raft, his hand wrapped around her wrist.

Before she could react, Tala was dragged down into the pool of water. She didnt even have time to catch a breath before plummeting down. She gripped the hook tightly, then jabbed it at the merman that was pulling her deeper with each passing moment. Somehow, she managed to scrape it along his side, causing him to his and release her for a moment.

She immediately began scramblinhg for the surface, kicking as hard as she could to propel herself quickly. Just before she reached the edge of the rock, his large hand clasped her ankle. She was jerked back down, and she was sure that he was going to drown her. Her lungs ached, her chest felt like it was going to implode in on itself.

Another, different hand grabbed her lower arm, and she closed her eyes as she was tugged upwards. Something loud popped above the surface, and the hand around her ankle released her. She was hoisted up, breaking the surface, and pulled back onto the rocks, several feet away from the edge of the pool.

She rolled onto her stomach, coughing the water that had seeped into her body out onto the sand and stone beneath her. Tala lifted her head to see Hook standing there, tucking his gun away in the belt of his pants. He met her gaze.

"You are a very lucky girl," he smirked down at her. "Had Smee not come to tell me you escaped, you would have been fish food." He offered his hand to her, but Tala pushed herself upright without it. She was proud, and her naivety left her feeling ashamed.

"I suppose I owe you," she cleared her throat, enjoying the feeling of fresh air replacing the water in her lungs. She brought her braid around her shoulders to squeeze some of the water out. Most of her hair was loose, falling around her face and poking out of the braid, so she pulled it loose altogether and let her long, black hair fall free.

"I'm sure we can arrange something. My errands are finished here, so... shall we head back, love?" He offered his arm to her, which she also decline. Tala walked passed him, though she wobbled a little, and Hook just chuckled at her.

She was a wily beast, that one. He knew it would only make it that much more fun to tame her. He walked behind her, admiring her feminine curves, and her beautifully tanned skin. She was a beauty, there was no denying it. Hook wondered if maybe he should postpone negotiations with the savages for a little while. After all, he had a wolf to domesticate.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the wait! With the end of the month and the holiday, I got busy :) but im getting back on track now. Hope you guys are still with me! Enjoy! Please leave a review so I know whether or not to keep updating :)**

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Chapter 4:

Tala expected Hook to shove the fact that he rescued her in her face every chance he got, but he was surprisingly quiet about it during the week following. He never mentioned it to her, not once, other than the night of when he told her that trusting him was the only way to stay alive.

However, it seemed like being on the ship was becoming more and more dangerous for her the longer they were at sea. The men began to become irritated with her, as if they were driven to anger just by her presence. When she complained to Hook, he brushed it off. He said it was just the men being ornery because they could only look and not touch.

Tala was beginning to resent being the only female on the ship. They clearly didnt want her there anymore than she wanted to be there. It was frustrating, to say the least, for everyone involved except Hook, it seemed.

Finally, tensions boiled over, and not even Hook could ignore the problem any longer.

It began with the simplest of mistakes. Tala had been on the deck, scrubbing at the hopelessly rotted wood railings. An usually large wave rocked the boat a little harder than normal. Without steady sea legs, Tala stumbled a little and bumped into one of the men working nearby.

"Watch it, little missy!" He barked at her angrily. Tala wasn't the type of person to accept being shouted at so needlessly. As much as her father warned her against her temper, she never did learn to control it. She stood upright and glared directly at him fearlessly.

"Watch your tongue," she snarled at him, almost animalistically, "before you lose it." She turned to walk away, which was as much control as she could show in that moment. The pirate decided that instead of letting her leave, he was going to teach her a lesson.

"You're the only one in danger of losing something," he seethed, grabbed the end of her long braid. He tugged on it hard, causing her to have to bend backwards a little to ease the pain. With his free hand, he dug out a blade from his belt. With one fell swoop of his arm, he sliced through her braid.

The impact jerked on her scalp, but then the weight fell away. Tala took a few steps away from him, her head tilting forward. A shaky hand lifted to touch her hair, or lack thereof. Instead of the long, tight braid she had, Tala was left with free flowing black waves that sat just above her shoulders.

Fury and embarrassment washed over her. Long hair was a symbol of wisdom in her tribe. The longer it was, the older you were, the wiser. The women adorned their long raven locks, and Tala had, too. Now, her braid was gone. She figured her hair was probably not even long enough anymore to put into a proper braid.

Without thinking, she turned to the filthy pirate, and she pounced like a wild animal onto him, startling him enough to knock him flat on his back. She immediately reached for the braid he still held in his hand, ripping it from his grip.

Frantic now, and ashamed, he rolled onto his stomach and tried to scramble away. Tala grabbed both ends of her braid and threw it over his head, pulling back once it slipped down around his throat. She pulled back as hard as she could, pressing her heel into his back to gain extra leverage. She had every intention of choking him to death with that braid.

Luckily for him, Tala was pried away. Something cold and metal had hooked the back of the leather band she wore around her neck, and when it pulled back, she had no choice but to let go and follow it. Once the man was dragged away from her reach, Tala was released.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Hook's deep voice bellowed across the ship's deck. Every pirate was still now, eyes locked on their Captain that stood in front of Tala. She glared up at the pirate who cut her hair, one hand rubbing at her throat.

"Your little savage attacked me!" The man screamed, coughing and sputtering. Hook looked back at her with a raised brow, noticing the braid dangling from her hand. His attention turned back to his crew.

"And her hair?"

"She left me no choice!" He lied to Hook, face red and bloated. "The little bitch tried to kill me!" Hook stared at the pirate for a long moment, a look that unnerved everyone within his line of sight.

"Are you trying to convince me you cut her hair because you were trying to save your own life? Not her throat or her gut, but her hair? That was your lifesaving plan?" Hook seemed almost amused at the crew members silly lie. "To the plank with you."

The man's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I said to the plank," he said coldly. "Need I say it again?" The men around him hesitated for a moment, then two of the pirates grabbed the doomed man's arms. As Hook turned around, the man was dragged to the plank. The pirates jeered and poked at him until he slipped off. The last thing Tala heard was a loud splash before Hook grabbed her by the elbow and practically dragged her back to his cabin.

Once she was shoved inside the lavish room, the door was closed. Hook stood there, his intimidating frame blocking the exit, not that she planned to leave. For once, she was more comfortable inside of his cabin than outside of it.

She was still angry, still hurting over the loss of her braid. It wasn't just her hair. Tala felt like she was little by little losing herself, her heritage. Her clothes were gone, the paint was washed from her face. And now she'd lost her long hair. She wanted to be Tala the wolf again. Not Tala the pirate.

"This is your fault!" She snapped at him, throwing the braid in his direction. "I have lost everything because of you." There were tears in her eyes now, and it softened Hook's expression slightly. "What will my people think when they see a pirate instead of Tala? There's no place in our tribe for a filthy pirate." Her voice was shaky at best.

"The length of your hair does not define you," he told her softly, tapping his hook against the dresser beside him. "You are no more a pirate than I am a savage." She turnef her head away from him, hands flying up to touch her now much shorter hair. Her chest was heaving, and Hook knew he had to act quickly to avoid a full blown fit.

He stepped forward, then reached out to grab one of her wrists in his hand. He lowered it from her hair, then pushed the other away with his hook gently. His fingers ran through her dark waves, then trailed down the side of her neck. She tensed at his touch, eyes fixated on his.

"I think it suits you quite well," he commented with a grin. "You are worried for nothing, love. Your family will be so thrilled to see you that the length of your hair wont matter a bit to any of them. They love you, little wolf, not your braid."

She calmed down slowly, as his words sank in and her mind convinced her of their truth. Her breathing slowed, and the tears faded away.

Hook dropped his hand away from her, moving towards his bed. He sat on the edge of it and began to undo the straps on his boots.

"Would you prefer to stay here for awhile, little wolf? I imagine your ordeal with that brute was frightening. My men can be a little abrasive."

"I donot intend to ever share a bed with you, Hook," she frowned at the suggestion. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I never intended to share this one with you either. You can curl up on some blankets on the ground like a good little pup." He grabbed some of the pillows from his bed and tossed them on the floor at the end of the bed. "There are some blankets in the trunk over there."

Tala grimaced, but knew that she was safer under his watch. He needed her, and he wouldnt dare lay a hand on her. She couldnt say the same about his crew. She sulked to the chest, throwing it open and pulling out the blankets that were folded away inside. She kicked it closed, then began putting together a pallet for herself on the rug at the foot of his bed.

"Are you comfortable?" Hook asked. Tala settled into the pile of pillows and blankets, which surprisingly weren't entirely unbearable.

"I am fine." She pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and rolled onto her side. "Thank you, Hook. For your kind words."

"The truth isnt always kind, so consider yourself lucky this time," he chuckled, settling into his own bed. "Rest now, pup. Our journey is not over just yet. There's still much to do."

"Then you'll take me home?"

"Yes. When it's time."

"Promise me," she demanded, fear lacing her words. She would not let him keep her as a hostage on his dirty ship forever. She would sooner jump overboard then spend her life amongst his filthy, rabid crew.

"I'm a man of my word. You'll be returned when it's time."

"That time better come soon."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

The next few days went smoothly, which was all Tala could ask for. Hook was busy, for the most part, only ever coming into the cabin to sleep. One day, when he was feeling particularly generous, he brought her some hide and paints he'd acquired from the island.

"In case you grow bored," he told her as he dropped them off. Tala was, in fact, quite bored being locked up in his cabin. Having something to do was better than nothing. Besides, painting on dried animal skins was something her tribe did often. Tala finally felt like she had a little piece of home with her again.

After a few days passed, however, not even painting was enough to entertain her anymore. The captain never locked his cabin doors, since they were at sea and there was nowhere to run. He left the option of venturing out to her, though she really didn't like the idea after losing her treasured braid to a brute of a man.

On a warm day, when the sun was high and the sky was clear, Tala heard lpud laughter and thudding from the main deck. Curiosity and boredom got the better of her. She slid into one of Hook's baggy white shirts, then ventured out of the cabin for the first time in nearly six days.

The cause of the ruckus was obvious from the moment she stepped out. In the center of the deck was a large circle of pirates. They were surrounding something, cheering and yelling obscenities at whatever it was. Tala bravely pushed through them, fighting her way to the center so she could see what was so exciting.

Tala was surprised to see Hook, shirtless, with beads of sweat rolling down his shockingly toned chest and abdomen. This image of Hook was much different than the one she had growing up. He was supposed to be an old man, grey and wrinkled skin age, but this man, standing in front of her, was young and beautiful.

Aand violent.

Hook threw a punch into his crewmates jaw, sending the man staggering back into the crowd of enthusiastic pirates. He shook his bloodied knuckles, then bounced back on his heels to wait for his opponent to retaliate.

"Come on, then, lad," the sweaty captain jeered. "Surely you can do better than that."

The dizzy man Hook struck rebounded after a minute, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his vision. His face was bloody, sporting an obvious gash under his eye that must have come from Hook. With his best effort, the man lunged at Hook, but the captain was too quick. All that the man caught in his attempt was Hook's knee to his gut. This time, the bloody man hit the deck.

Tala was surprised by the speed and skill that Hook fought with. He truly seemed to be a worthy opponent, a warrior even her tribe would celebrate for his abilities and strength. Her cheeks flushed against her will as she watched him put his muscular arms into the air and cheer for his victory with his crew.

"Good show, lad," Hook smiled, bending down to scoop up his injured opponent by the arm. "Have Smee tend to your wounds before the salty wind catches them, aye?"

"Aye," the middle aged gentleman nodded before making his way through the crowd. Smee waddled along behind so he could treat that gash on his face like the captain insisted.

"Ah, our little pup came up to play," Hook grinned at her when his eyes finally caught hers. "Good morning, Tala. Did you come to join the fun?"

"I do not fight for fun," Tala shook her head, her now wild raven curls bouncing back and forth. Hook clicked his tongue and folded those intimidating arms over his firm chest.

"Come now, Tala," he smirked. "Show me why the savage warriors are the most feared in Neverland. You've practiced and trained your whole life. Surely you can take on an old man like me." Tala scoffed at that. Hook was no longer old and fraile, and he knew it.

"If you want, I can show you," she finally gave in. Tala pulled the strings loose on the tee shirt, then dragged it over her head. The ship fell silent as she revealed her slender arms and flat stomach. The only thing that kept her from being half naked was the thin furs that wrapped around her breasts and were strung together at her back.

Even Hook's expression changed. His eyes darkened, and his cocky smirk faded a little bit. She was acutely aware of the way his eyes raked over her, from head to toe, spending extra time at what cleavage was exposed and her stomach, which was now bare.

Tala stepped into the circle, her limbs relaxed and loose at her sides. She didn't need any pompous stance to fight, nor did she need to keep her hands up to defend herself. No, that wasn't the way she was trained, nor was it the way she wanted to fight.

"Alright," Hook cleared his throat. "I won't hold back, little wolf."

"I would be offended if you did," she eyed him.

Hook circled a bit, and Tala's bare feet moved to match him. When Hook finally leaned in to throw a punch, she easily dodged to the left to avoid it. The crew began to mutter among themselves. They were all surprised by her speed, especially since pirates didn't let their women fight very often. They had no idea what a woman was capable of when she was trained properly.

The captain threw his fist again, and this time, she brought up her arm to block it. Using his shock to her advantage, she ducked low and swept her leg around to knock his out from under him. As Tala stood back up, Hook hit the deck. The crew jeered loudly.

"Impressive," Hook chuckled, pushing himself back up to his feet. "You're quicker than I expected." He ran a hand back through his shaggy black hair that stopped just above his ears. That was another thing she was surprised by. Hook was said to have long grey hair, like a woman's. This Hook had shorter, messy hair.

"And you're slower than I expected," she grinned mischievously, in a sort of cat-like way. Hook smiled at that. A smile rather suited her pretty little face, much more than the serious look she usually wore.

He swung again, and as expected, she brought up her arm to block it. Only, this time, he was ready for it. Hook caught her arm with his other hand, then twisted it behind her back. He yanked her back into his chest, then whispered huskily in her ear.

"You're so predictable, love."

Tala stomped on his foot, then threw her head back into his. Hook released her, staggering back, and she quickly pounced on him. They both hit the deck, Hook with his back to the wooden floor, and Tala with her legs straddling his hips.

She planted a hand against his sweaty chest to hold him down, then shifted so that she was sitting comfortably on his waist. Hook stared up at her, ridiculously, painfully aware of how thin the fabric between them was, and how warm she felt between her legs.

"If I had a knife, you would be dead, Captain," she huffed, feeling rather victorious. He had underestimated her from the start, and she proved her skill.

Hook, on the other hand, wasn't even slightly concerned with who won or lost. No, all he could think of was the way she straddled him, and the skin of her hips and sides her little fur top left exposed. He hummed his delight.

"Sure, little wolf. You beat me." His large hands lifted to grab her hips, and she flinched at the gentle touch. Tala looked down at them, at the way his pale skin stood out so starkly against her tanned flesh. "Maybe we should try this again in my cabin." Those hands travelled up her sides, slowly, tenderly, stopped just below where her furs began.

Her cheeks turned bright pink and burned. Tala jerked away from him, climbing up to her feet and scurrying off without looking anyone in the eyes. She had never been touched like that before, and she hardly wanted to be touched by a filthy pirate.

But he wasn't filthy. His hands, she noticed as they travelled over her bare skin, were clean unlike his crews' hands. Nothing about him was filthy or disgusting like she expected. He was a man, a large, brute of a man, but Tala couldn't deny that he was attractive. He put even the most handsome member of her tribe to shame.

She slammed his cabin door shut and plopped down on her pallet of blankets on the floor. Tala wrapped her arms around herself, then huffed her disapproval at herself and Hook.

* * *

 **A/N: Whoa it's been a long time. I hit a bit of a rough patch lol, which honestly I'm still in. Sometimes the universe just likes to make people suffer. But it's getting better, slowly. I started college again, which sucks, but hey summer is coming up soon, and I can write a lot more :)**

 **Also, sorry for any typos! I'm still writing on my phone :(**

 **I did miss this story, though, and I intend to keep writing it for awhile, so if you enjoy it let me know :) leave a little review so I know whether to continue or not. Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks so much for the feedback! I'm so glad people are reading this story because it's sooo much fun to write :) so thank you. Means the world to me to hear what you guys think. Enjoy the chapter, my dears!**

* * *

Chapter 6:

Tala stirred from her little spot on Hook's floor as the cabin door creaked open and heavy boots thudded against the wooden floor by her head. She sat up, the quilt that had been covering her slipping down her shoulder.

Hook pushed the door to his cabin closed, then shrugged off his jacket. She could smell, faintly, the pale man's poison wafting from him. Alcohol was something her people bought from the pirates before, but after it poisoned and made her tribe sick, it was banned. Hook seemed immune to the poison, though. It only slowed him.

He paused when he turned and noticed she was awake. A hand ran back through his shaggy raven hair, pushing the gentle curls back from his face so he could see her more clearly.

"Little wolf. Did I wake you?"

"Yes," she answered honestly, "but it is alright." Tala rubbed at her tired eyes, then turned them up to meet his. "Does the rum not make you ill, Captain?"

"Captain," he hummed. "Why does that word sound so marvelous coming from your lips?" Hook walked a little unsteadily to the edge of his bed, then sat down on the mattress. "Come remove my boots, little wolf."

"I thought I was a prisoner, not a slave," she muttered, then climbed to her feet. They padded against the floor, bare and soft, as she made her way to where he sat. Tala knelt down carefully, then began to unlace his heavy leather boots. She wondere where he got such shoes, as no one on the island made any as fancy as his. Not that she knew of anyways.

"I wouldn't call you a slave, but I find that I quite like this position," he grinned devilishly. Tala tilted her head back to look up at him, and Hook found himself battling with the strongest urge to run a hand through her pretty black hair. "You're quite alluring from this angle."

"I'm afraid I do not understand," she dropped her gaze in hopes of hiding the color blooming in her cheeks. Tala knew what alluring meant, and she knew very well the kind of hunger rum could spark in a man. In that moment, she didn't feel like a wolf at all; she felt more like a sheep under the heavy gaze of a starving wolf.

"I aim to make you understand, darling Tala," he sighed, lifting his feet from the ground so she could slip his boots off. She set them to the side, right next to one another, so they would be easy to put on in the morning. "One day, I want you on your knees before me as neither a prisoner or slave, but as a woman."

Tala stood indignantly, her blush only burning against her skin as she stared down at him, into those dark, hungry eyes. Her brow furrowed, and her lips parted in a sort of half-hearted offense. She shook her head at him.

"My people do not bow," she reminded him sternly. "Rest well, Hook." She turned to leave, but before she could step away from him, Hook caught her wrist in his large hand to stop her.

"Then shall I bow to you?" He blurted out, a surprising hint of desperation in his tone. "Shall I kneel before you instead? I can find just as much pleasure in between your knees as I could find having you between mine."

"Rest," she insisted again, pulling her arm from his grasp. "In the morning, the rum will be gone from your body. We can discuss whatever you want then." Tala reached around him to peel back his blankets. Hook stared at her for a moment longer, then laid back and brought his legs up onto the bed with the rest of him.

"I've determined that you haven't known a man's touch yet, Tala," he slurred slightly. "As I do with all treasure I find, I will take you, Tala. I will rob every other man of the honor of being the first to touch you. You will be my treasure."

Tala ignored him entirely. She was not a thing to be acquired or owned. Like all of her people, she was free, a part of the very island that gave life to her. Her body and spirit belonged to the herself alone while she lived, and once she perished, they belonged to the earth under her feet.

"Sleep, Hook." She pulled the blanket over him, then walked to the cabin door. He murmured something she didn't quite hear, then drifted off to sleep. She glanced back at him before leaving. He looked much more innocent as he slept, much more at peace. Hook was quite handsome, too, if she was being honest with herself.

Tala stepped out onto the deck, smiling as a crisp breeze caressed her skin. It was a lovely night. She ventured to the edge of the ship, leaning against the railing to admire the stars above her. The ocean was much prettier at night, with the moon and stars shining against its surface. It helped, too, that there were no sweaty pirates shouting around her as well.

* * *

Hook sat up with a soft groan. He had admittedly had a little too much to drink the night before, and his memories after his last glass of rum were a little hazier than he would have liked. Vaguely, he remembered returning to his cabin. He remembered looking down at Tala as she removed his boots. That was about it.

He threw back the blanket that covered him, then slowly lifted himself to his feet. Leaving his boots behind entirely, he stepped around the bed expecting to see Tala curled up on her pallet at the end of the bed. However, she wasn't there at all.

"Where'd you run off to, pup?" With a heavy sigh, Hook walked out onto the deck.

It was early, and most of his crew was still asleep below. He walked out a little farther, the light of the sun causing a dull ache in his skull, likely a result of his enthusiastic consumption of rum the night before.

He finally found her, at the front of the ship. She was dressed in her native clothing once again. Her hips were adorned with the little fur skirt she had tied around it. Her back and stomach were left exposed, though her breasts were covered by a similar fur. To complete the look, she used the paints he gave her to smear two straight lines of blue under each of her eyes.

She looked like a proper little savage, though such a word seemed too harsh for the stunning creature that stood before him, stretching her arms over her head as she looked out at the sea. He was unsure, at first, what she was looking at, but he quickly realized that, on the horizon, sat the island of Neverland.

After a moment or two, Tala turned and realized Hook was standing there behind her. She tilted her head as she examined his expression.

"You seem unhappy."

"Oh, love, I am deeply unsatisfied," he tsked, taking a few steps closer to her. "It seems our time is close to an end. The island beckons us back to its shore. You're already dressed to leave the Jolly Roger behind."

"I am afraid my people will consider me corrupt if they see me dressed like a pirate," she told him honestly. "I was not sure if I was allowed to return home yet. You said I could, when it was time. Is it time, then?"

"We will begin negotiations with your tribe once we arrive at the island," Hook shrugged his shoulders. "Could be another day or so, as the winds are not strong this morning."

"Thank you," she smiled softly. "Thank you for keeping your word, Captain." He was weak for that word when it was coming from her. It melted the ice that surrounded his heart little by little, until it was able to beat again.

"My first name is James," he said without thinking.

"Would you like me to call you James?" She asked, stepping a little closer to him. Tala seemed to be in a pleasant mood, and he found himself enjoying it more than he ever intended to.

"My name never sounded so sweet," he chuckled, inching closer to her. There was only about a foot of space between them now. Tala stepped forward once more, getting so close that she had to look up at him.

"I am still not fond of pirates, James, but I do not mind you so much," she said softly. "You are gentle, even if you pretend not to be. There is a beast inside every man, and you have tamed yours well. Thank you for being kind to me while I have been your prisoner."

He couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. Hook reached up to cup her small face in his hands. She didn't pull away or shout at him. Tala's eyes just widened a little, and her plump lips parted with a silent question. Wasting no more time, Hook leaned down to meet her mouth with his.

His lips pressed into hers, holding them hostage for a few moments before he leaned away from her. Hook brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, then dropped his hands to his sides. Tala's gaze never left him for even a second.

"Apologies, little wolf," he smirked down at her. "I couldn't let you leave my ship without having a little taste. I have been so patient after all."

"What do I taste like?" She questioned, bringing her fingertips up to graze her freshly kissed lips. His mouth was so soft, yet rough at the same time. It was confusing, but it stirred something within her that she had never known before.

"Like the sun and the ocean," he hummed his delight. "Both of which are my home. So, dear pup, you taste like home."

She smiled at that, seemingly satisfied with his answer. Tala spun on her heels and skipped over to the edge of the ship. Her stomach pressed into the railing as she leaned out over the water daringly. Tala breathed it in, the ocean, the fresh air, the warmth of the burning sun above her. She wanted to experience, to understand Hook's home.

It wasn't much different from her own idea of home. Tala figured there wasn't as much of a different between pirates and her people as they all believed. Neverland was everyone's home, and they all fought for survival. Her tribe claimed the land, while the pirates owned the sea.

The sea was vast, endless, and beautiful. Tala had explored every inch of their island, but she knew little of the ocean. It made her wonder if she wasn't more of a prisoner in her camp than she was on the Jolly Roger.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Hook would be lying if he said he was ready for Tala to leave. A delicate, feminine presence was a relief after spending so many days with some less than intelligent, sweaty men. He was going to miss having her around. He had grown used to hearing her soft, gentle breathing from the end of his bed late at night when he couldn't sleep. It made him feel less alone.

The day came sooner than expected. The winds picked up that night, and it carried them all the way to shore. His ship hit sand by dawn, and the time for negotiations had come. Hook dressed elegantly, with his best shirt and pants, complete with his long, jewel adorned coat and captain's hat. He looked like a proper captain.

"You look handsome," her sweet voice floated his way. Hook turned just as she slipped through his cabin door. The crew was about to wake, once the sun was high enough in the sky, so she couldn't stay on deck any longer, not dressed the way she was. Too much of her skin was showing, and Hook didn't trust any of his men, other than Smee, to be decent.

"Presentation is everything, love," he sighed, removing his hat for the moment. He combed back his curly black bangs with his fingers, then shot her a look. "You do realize you must stay aboard the Jolly Roger until negotiations are complete, don't you, Tala?"

"I figured. That is the smart thing to do," she nodded. "Otherwise, I would run back to my family, and you would lose your leverage."

"Then will you be a good girl for me?" He grinned, stepping over to where she stood. He lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger, holding her gaze. Tala never looked away either. She searched his eyes for sincerity, hoping he really would keep to his word as he promised. "I'll leave a few men behind to guard the cabin, so please stay inside of it until I return."

"I will, as long as you keep your promise," she answered calmly.

"As I said," he shrugged his broad shoulders, "I'm a man of my word." He lifted a hand to set it atop her head, then ran his fingers back through her wavy raven locks. "I am glad we have come to understand one another a little better, Tala. I am no longer a villainous wretch in your eyes, and I quite like that."

"You are a man," she smiled, "no more, no less. I do not agree with much of what you and your crew do, but everyone wants to live. Survival is the most noble thing to fight for. My tribe sides with Pan, but perhaps they will understand that our survival matters more than his. Sometimes, living means letting go of prejudices."

"I couldn't agree more," he hummed, walking away from her. Her patted his chest to make sure the little jar that housed Tinkerbell was still around his neck, then pulled open the door. "I'm going to lock the door behind me so no one can come in or out until I return."

"I understand," she nodded. "Be kind to my people, Hook."

"I will, little wolf."

* * *

The chief of Tala's tribe was called as soon as the natives noticed the pirates approaching. Hook was grateful that he had been taught their language by an old friend, one who died for being associated with him.

Hook steeled his nerves and stood in the center of their camp with a cocky smirk on his lips. He waited a little impatiently for the chief to reach him, and once he did, Hook removed his hat and bowed gracefully in respect.

"Good morning, Chief."

"What business does your crew possibly have with my people?" The Chief demanded to know in English. Hook straightened his back, dusted his hat, then set it atop his head once again.

"I believe I have something of yours. I've come to negotiate its return." Hook took notice of a small, older woman who stepped forward a little with wide, hopeful eyes. A man beside her caught her arm and held her back. She must have been Tala's mother. He could only assume based on her reaction. "Shall we strike a bargain, Chief?"

"No," the older man answered immediately. "Our tribe does not bargain with filthy pirates."

"Oh?" Hook hummed. "Not even for your precious Tala?"

"Is she alright?" The little woman asked. She was struck, suddenly, by the man beside her. Hook grit his teeth together, then nodded his head.

"She is alive and well," he reassured her. "She wishes very dearly to come home. Will you really not bargain even for her?"

"Tala no longer belongs to this tribe," the chief stated bluntly. The little woman began to cry, and Hook felt sorry for her. She must be missing her daughter, who he took away from her.

"She certainly doesn't belong to me," Hook shook his head. "Who do you suppose she belongs to then?"

"I made a deal," the chief explained. "The price of the deal was one of our best young warriors. I need the men, so I offered Tala. She was the price for the safety of our tribe, and Tala will understand that she has to pay it."

"Excuse me?" Hook nearly snarled. How dare he sell Tala to anyone? Especially while she was in his care, under his protection. "Who in the bloody hell did you sell her off to?"

"The boy. He's found another fairy," Chief told him as he folded his arms over his chest. "He will be immortal once again, when he gets his hands on it. Those years you stole will be delivered upon you tenfold, and you will become dust. That is why I bargained with Tala. Pan will ensure the wealth and survival of our people as he did before."

"You rotten bastard," Hook seethed, drawing his pistol from the back of his belt. He point it directly at the chief. "Was this a trap? Was this meeting meant to get me away from my ship? Away from Tala?"

"Away from the fairy," the chief corrected him.

"You're a bloody idiot if you think I'd leave the fairy aboard the ship. Pan certainly didn't think I would. He went after my crew, after the girl." Hook lowered his weapon slightly, then fired a single bullet into the thigh if the chief. The tribe collectively drew their spears and knives, ready to kill Hook and his crew.

"Leave him!" The chief shouted loudly, in pain. "Pan will have those years back, or he will take them from us. Hook must live."

"Back to the ship!" Hook snapped at his crew. He turned back through the crowd, which parted to let him through. His feet continued to pick up speed until he was running, with everything he had, back to the shore where his ship was docked.

* * *

It was a thud on deck that first caught Tala's attention. She raised herself on her toes to look through the tiny window on the Captain's door. When she saw a crew member go down, a knife jutting from his chest, she yanked the door open.

"Tala, lock yourself inside," Smee yelled from the other side of the deck. There was a young man in front of him, pressing a knife to his gut as if he meant to gut him. Like a wolf after its prey, she ran at the man and pounced, knocking him, and the blade, away from poor Mr. Smee.

They collided then hit the deck. The knife bounced free of the young man's hand, and Tala immediately pushed up to scramble for it. She grabbed hold of it just as another hand slammed down over hers. As the man tried to yank the blade from her, Tala only tightened her grip.

"Give it to me!" He cried out much like a child. His long, slender fingers dropped to wrap around her wrist instead. Tala tried to lift herself, but she felt a knee push into her back, pinning her to the wooden deck beneath her body. "Let go!"

The man began to lift and slam her wrist back down over and over again. Pain shot up through her arm, but she didnt let go of the knife. Out of options, Tala resorted to throwing her head back into his with as much force as she could manage, which was enough to knock him off of her.

Tala finally managed to get to her feet, backing up to Smee with the blade held out in front of her defensively. The young man stood, wobbled a little, then reached up to touch his now bloody nose. He grimaced at her.

"You hit hard for a girl."

"Nibs!" Another male voice called. The man turned, then ran over to the source of it.

There he stood, dressed in clothes sewn together with leaves and other plant fibers, so delicate only a fairy could manage it. It was the red feather in his hat that gave him away. It was notorious as a symbol for the one and only Peter Pan.

He was handsome, probably Tala's age or older. It was hard to believe that the sturdy, rugged man had been a boy only months earlier. Even more startling, was the blood splattered against his cheek. Tala braced herself as he turned towards her.

"You must be Tala," he grinned, stepping up to her. She kept her place between him and Smee, keeping the knife in front of her. "You'll be coming with me, Tala."

"No. I'm going home," she replied calmly.

"Home? Silly girl, your home is with us now. You're going to be a Lost Boy." He waved his hand, and the fighting stopped. The few crew members that had been attacked scrambled away from the attackers.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she refused. "I'm returning to my people. To my family. I have no quarrel with you, Peter Pan."

"You belong to us, Tala. Your chief sold you for peace."

"What?" Tala's eyes widened. The arm that held the knife lowered slightly as she processed his words. "You're lying."

"I'm afraid not. See. I know where to find a fairy now. When I have it, I'll be immortal again. I'll take back all the years Hook stole from me, and I'll be the one that keeps your tribe alive. It's me who keeps your land fertile and your crops growing. I keep death at bay. Your chief understand. I asked for a warrior in exchange for peace, and he gave me you." Pan took a step towards her. "He respects your noble sacrifice for your tribe. You will be missed."

Tala lashed out with the knife, but he was too quick. He caught her wrist, then flung her to the ground with ease.

"Grab her," he ordered the other Lost Boys. Two sets of hands were on her before she could even get up again. Tala struggled as much as she could, but she was only one person and at a serious disadvantage being on her stomach.

Both of her arms were forced behind her back, and her wrists were bound with twine. She cursed at him relentlessly in her native language, hurling every insult she could think of his way.

"Muzzle the girl," Peter commanded. "She's got a sharp tongue." Tala was only silent when a strip of cloth was tied around her head and forced between her teeth to shut her up. Once she was tied, the Lost Boys stood up, leaving her bound on the deck.

"Want me to carry her?" Nibs asked, wiping at the blood he smeared under his nose after she smashed it with her head.

"No," Pan shook his head. "I'll do it. Rally the boys. Let's leave. We got what we came for." Peter bent down, then yanked her up by the arm. With surprising strength, he hoisted her up by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder.

"I think you'll make a good Lost Boy. Once we break you in. Even wolves can be tamed, Tala. Don't be scared, though. It'll be fun." He grinned devilishly. "So much fun."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

They were children. Even in the bodies of grown, rugged men, they were still children. All they wanted to do all day was sword fight, hunt, and eat strips of meat glazed with honey. Pan had even stolen some of the captain's rum from the ship when he took her. Unfortunately, when he finally decided to taste the liquor, the normally tolerable Pan became dangerous.

Tala was sitting alone in her little tent. She made it outside in the space she was designated. Pan kept a shackle around her ankle, something else he took from Hook's ship, and the shackle was chained to a nearby tree. She could only travel so far from it before that shackle pulled her back.

Pan ventured over to her tiny teepee, smelling of liquid poison and honey. He dropped down to his knees to crawl into the tent, stopping a foot or so in front of her. Tala pulled her knees up to her chest defensively, her muscles tense all over.

"I don't know much about girls," he muttered, scanning her with his eyes. "I only know that they are softer than us." His hand extended until it made contact with her thigh. Tala was quick to smack it away as hard as she could, which caused him to jerk his hand back to his chest. A frown etched into his lips. "You shouldn't do that."

"Do not touch me, _boy,_ " she hissed at him.

"I'm not a child anymore," he scoffed. "I'm much bigger than you, in fact. And stronger." He grabbed her by the ankle, then dragged her legs out from her chest. Tala fell back on her elbows, but she refused to be victimized. Her free leg kicked upright, and her heel slammed into his jaw.

Pan fell back, dropping her leg in the process, then brought a hand up to cup his now throbbing jaw. He let out a groan of pain, then slid back from her in fear of being kicked again.

"I told you that you shouldn't do that. Now I have to punish you." Pan climbed out from her tent, then began to tear it down around her. Tala watched angrily as her safety was torn away and tossed to the ground. It left her exposed.

The other boys began to crowd around, and some of them were hazy with rum just like Pan. Tala lifted herself to her feet, refusing to lose her dignity to a bunch of overgrown children. Her body braced all over for a fight.

"What do we do with her, Peter?" Nibs asked, eyeing her in a way that made her anxious.

"Grab her hands. Hold them against the tree," Pan grumbled, stepping towards her. "Sly, give me the leather strap."

Tala struggled as two of the boys rushed at her. She kicked and growled, but they were so much bigger than she was. Not to mention, the shackle around her ankle put her at a distinct disadvantage.

Her hands were captured, and she was spun around to face the tree that she was chained to. The boys dragged her forwards until they could pin both of her hands against the trunk of the tree. No matter how hard she tried to pull them back, to free herself, they held her in place.

"Here, Peter."

"This is so much fun," Pan sighed. Something snapped behind her, and Tala turned her head back just enough to see him playing with a belt, one like Hook had. As far as she knew, pirates were the only ones that used them. It must have been another thing Pan stole from his ship.

"Can I do it, Peter?"

"No, I want to," he growled at his companion. "Don't argue, or I'll whack you good, too." The other boy remained silent, since Pan was the leader. He couldn't argue. "These are more fun than I thought. I didn't know what they were for, but they hurt when they hit you. The boys have been running around smacking each other all day."

"Nibs really gave me a good whollop," Sly chuckled.

"Take off her fur top," Nibs suggested. "It wont hurt if it hits the furs." Sly stepped in to loosen the string tying her furs together at her back. He pulled them apart, then removed her top entirely.

Tala felt more shame than she could express or process. Her breasts were exposed. She was half-naked, yet they didn't seem even slightly interested. No, they only wanted to see her squirm when they lashed at her with the belt. A woman's breasts were nothing to them.

Pan brought down the leather band with surprising force. It struck her spine, sending waves of pain rippling through her entire torso. Tala bit down on her bottom lip to keep from letting out any noises of pain. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Amazing, she didn't cry."

"Not everyone is a crybaby like you."

She wanted to cry. It was some kind of hell, being trapped with the Lost Boys. They were as violent and invasive as grown men could be, while being ignorant and oblivious like children. While she suffered from shame and pain, they were having fun. They were fascinated.

"Do it harder, Peter," Sly jeered, giggling from behind her.

Tala dropped her head, using her messy raven waves to hide her expressions of agony. Just as Sly told him, Pan lashed at her back even harder with the leather belt. Her back arched away from it, but once again, she stifled her crys by biting down on her own lip.

"She's bleeding," Nibs announced. Tala didn't need to hear him say it to know it was true. She could feel a drop of something warm sliding down along her spine. "She still won't scream."

"What does it sound like when a girl screams? Like Tink?"

"No, she squeaks. Girls don't squeak," Pan snapped at the boy who asked the question. "I'll try one more time. This time, for sure." He couldn't look weak. If she didn't scream, he looked weak. Pan lifted the belt one last time, then hit her with it as hard as he possibly could.

This time, Tala couldn't hold it in. She cried out in a strained sob, then dropped to her knees. Her palms scraped against the tree trunk until the two boys pinning her hands there released her. She didn't bother to stifle the whimpers or hiccups that escaped her lips as she wept softly.

The boys stood around silently for a moment, observing her as she crumpled to the ground, still topless, still exposed and bleeding. Pan tilted his head to the side,

"This is no fun. It's more fun to hit Nibs."

"Hey, it hurts! I don't want to be hit!" The Lost Boys wondered off together, back to their rum and honey flavored meat. They left her there, collapsed by the base of the tree, bloodying dripping from the slash that broke her skin. The rest were likely welts and bruises. There was only one stream of blood dripping down her back. She was sure of that.

* * *

Hook had to wait until nightfall. Tink told him where to find the Lost Boys, after he cut off her oxygen for a bit. With enough pressure in the right places, Hook could make any canary sing. Once the moon lifted high in the sky, he decided to make his move.

Silently, he snuck into the Lost Boys' camp. Most of them were asleep in their tree trunk hideaway, or in little tents. A couple were passed out around the fire with his rum bottles half empty beside them. He tried to bite back his boiling rage for the sake of the mission. He wasn't there to kill pan, not this time. He was there for Tala.

It wasn't hard to find her. The Boys didn't even bother to hide her. Then again, they didn't believe they needed to. Pan thought that Hook didn't know where they were, and even if he did, the chain should have kept her in place. Unfortunately for Pan, Hook knew how to pick a lock.

He was angered even more as he approached her. Her top half was bare, and she only had her arms to cover her breasts. She was sitting with her knees up to her chest, rocking back and forth slowly. As he got closer, the light of the moon revealed three bright red marks stretching across her back in different directions.

"Say nothing," he whispered as he came up behind her.

The relief that washed over Tala was like no other she ever experienced before. Hook was friendly compared to the wild, reckless Lost Boys. Her chest began to heave as the tear returned to her eyes. She wanted to thank him for coming to get her, but she couldn't. Tala had to stay silent.

Careful not to wake the boys sleeping outside, Hook moved around Tala to work on the lock. It took several minutes, but he finally got it loose with two little thin pieces of iron. They were made specifically to allow him to pick locks.

Once the shackle fell away from her ankle, Hook scooped her up, under her back and legs, then started towards the forest again. Tala buried her face in his chest, inhaling a familiar smell, the scent of a man she had grown to think of as an ally. He was safety in that moment.

"Hold on, little wolf. We will reach the ship soon."

"I want to go home," she whined, clinging to his neck. "Take me home, James."

"I am, Tala. I am."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Tala didn't wake until the next morning. Immediately, she found herself surrounded by the familiar and comforting smells of the sea and salted wind blowing through the little window in Hook's cabin. Slowly she stirred, and when her back shifted against the silk sheets under her, she winced. The pain from the lashes she endured was still pretty fresh it seemed. It made her not want to move at all.

"Easy, pup. You're going to be sore."

Despite the ache, Tala pushed herself upright when she heard his voice. Her big, bright eyes found his darker orbs almost immediately. He sat sunken deep in a chair opposite to the bed. When she jerked up, he pushed himself up to his feet. His shaggy hair fell over his eyes as his gaze dropped to his feet. The way his lips turned down made her worry suddenly.

"You met with my people. Didn't you?" She asked him desperately. "James, I wanted to go home."

"You are home, as far as I'm concerned," he sighed, turning his head towards the window to look out at the rising sun. "Can't you stay here, love? Can't you be happy here?"

"Aboard a pirate ship?" Tala frowned. "I am no pirate. I am a warrior, Hook. You promised I could return to my people once negotiations were over. My mother... my father... They must be worried. They must miss me."

"Please... try. Try to be happy here."

"Hook, this is not my home."

"Why can't it be?" He nearly pleaded. His voice was shaky, pained.

"Because my family is not here. I'm supposed to be protecting my people. That's what I was raised to do. Hook, I will miss you, but I must go home."

Her longing was breaking his cold, rusted heart. To tell her the truth would be to inflict as much pain as the Lost Boys had when they stole her from the ship, and Hook couldn't bring himself to do that. He didn't want to hurt Tala, even if the truth required him to do so. Instead, he needed to craft a cushioned lie, no matter the consequences it brought.

"I have made a decision, Tala. During negotiations, I realized I didn't really want to give you back to your people. Even though they begged me... I declined their offers. You're staying here, little wolf."

"You promised!" She shouted, throwing a pillow as hard as she could at him. He caught it with ease, then tossed it into the chair he had been sitting in all night. Her hands balled into fists in the sheets. "You lied to me. I thought I could trust you, Hook."

"I'm a pirate, darling, of course you can't trust me." He forced out each and every word. Hook painted a wicked grin on his lips and looked up at her. It was the only way he could sell the lie. Even if he was made a villain once again, he wanted to spare her the pain of the truth. He knew what it was like to be cast out, to be unwanted. If he could spare Tala from such a feeling, it was worth the cost.

Tala began spouting off insults in her native tongue. She forced herself onto her feet, though she staggered and fell against the bed again when she tried to walk towards him. Hook kicked the chair aside, then walked out of the cabin before she could reach him. He pulled a key from his pocket, turned, and locked the door so she couldn't escape even if she wanted to.

"Smee!" He called. The stout man hurried to his side.

"Yes, Cap'n?"

"Set course for the Isle," Hook ordered, sulking away from the cabin door. Smee jumped a little in fright as a sudden pounding began on the other side of the door. He looked to Hook for an explanation, but none was given "Mr. Smee, that is an order."

"Aye, Cap'n," Smee frowned, hurrying off to alert the crew to the new heading. The Isle was far from Pan or Tala's tribe, but perhaps that was the purpose. Smee trusted Hook, but he knew, deep down, that something was wrong. Hook seemed troubled, but Smee wasn't going to upset him by prying.

* * *

Tala sat on the wooden floor by the cabin door, slumped over after exhausting herself. The welts on her back were stinging and burning, but she didn't pay them much mind. She had managed with worse wounds before, as a warrior trained to defend her people. She once hunted down a wild boar alone with a spear wound on her thigh.

The outward pain wasn't enough to distract her from the ache that Hook's betrayal caused. Tala couldn't believe she had been so foolish as to trust Captain Hook, the leader of the pirates that were known for stealing and killing. How could she let herself fall into such a well-crafted lie? She was supposed to be smarter than that, more cautious. Her mother taught her to trust no man.

When the door creaked open, Tala didn't even flinch. Hook came in, as she expected, and it took him a minute to find her. He only saw where she was when he pushed the door closed behind him.

"Tala..."

"Don't speak to me," she hissed angrily, bringing her knees up to her chest. She suddenly hated that she was wearing his shirt. She especially hated how it smelled like him and that comforted her. Tala wanted to hate him so badly, but her heart was only filled with hurt, not hatred.

"One day, you'll forgive me, Tala."

"I am your prisoner, Hook," she muttered. "Do slaves often forgive their masters?"

"You are not a slave, Tala," he corrected in frustration. "I wish you would remember how I looked after you before. You will be cared for on this ship, as you were before. Your life does not have to be full of misery while you are aboard the Jolly Roger."

"Why, Hook? Just tell me why you lied to me."

"I didn't mean to lie to you, little wolf."

"Then what is it? You need an extra hand on deck? Am I meant to be a thing to parade around like some kind of exotic animal in a cage?" Tala asked him, her voice trembling. "Why can't I go home?"

"Because I don't want you to," he said through his teeth. His resolve was weakening the longer she pleaded with him. She really was like a pretty, caged bird, trapped aboard his ship because he didn't want to tell her that her people traded her for safety. She was so proud to be a warrior for her tribe. It would devastate her. "Because I have you in my clutches, and I decide what to do with you."

"Fine," she relented finally. "Use me however you'd like, Hook, but I will never be happy on your rotted ship."

She turned her face from him, but the lantern light above her made it more than obvious that there were tears rolling down her tanned cheeks. He wondered if it was worth it, in that moment. Was it really merciful to spare her pain by inflicting it himself? Was he willing to let her hate him so that she didn't know she was no longer wanted by her tribemates?

Hook kicked himself a few more times, then stormed out of the cabin. What could he do? He thought it would be better to lie. He wanted to protect her. Instead, he seemed to have only made her hate him. The happy, smiling Tala he had grown to cherish was so far away from him now, and it was his fault.

He climbed down to the lower deck, then fetched himself a tankard of rum. If anything was going to numb the ache in his chest, it would be rum. He had a few tankards before he called it a night. As shameful as it was, Hook didn't even return to his cabin that night. Hook stayed below deck, with the rest of the crew, an empty tankard dangling from his fingers while he slept.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Hook hadn't gotten much sleep in the following days. Sleeping below deck so Tala could have her space in his cabin was less than ideal, but he would rather have her lock herself away there than mingle with his unsavory crew. He was just about to doze off when his hammock was suddenly and frantically shaken.

"Cap'n," Smee's gravelly voice struck his ears. "Cap'n, I really think you should come up on deck." He shook Hook's hammock again, which finally roused the exhausted captain. He jerked upright and glared down at Smee.

"Whatever it is, tell the lads to sort it out."

"But Cap'n. It isn't the lads I'm worried about," Smee frowned through the dark cabin. "Your little lady friend was given a little too much to drink, Cap'n. You really ought to come up and have a look."

Hook dropped from his hammock, then let out a low growl of frustration. After snagging his coat from the floor, he slid his arms into it and settled it on his shoulders. What could Tala possibly be doing to cause a disturbance on deck?

He should have expected it. She was still angry at him, still hurt by the lie he crafted to protect her. It was getting harder and harder by the day to maintain his false guilt. Tala wouldn't speak to him, wouldn't even look at him when he went to his cabin to make sure she was alright.

For two entire days, she locked herself away in there. She only allowed Smee to come in to bring her water and bread, though she would accept nothing and no one else. At some point, she was going to rebel against him, and it seemed that she was finally starting to express that pent up anger by causing a ruckus among his crew.

Hook wasn't at all surprised to see his crew gathered round in a small crowd, some cheering, some cursing, all watching the strange savage girl standing on the old, wooden railing of the ship. She was pacing it like a tightrope. Almost the entirety of her weight rested on her toes as she balanced herself on the thin plank of wood.

"Come down, ya wee nutty lass," one of the older men of the crew shouted up at her. "Before the captain has all of us walkin' the plank."

"Tala, dear," Smee called from the back of the crowd. "I brought the captain. Will you at least listen to him, my dear?"

Everyone turned, then the crowd parted immediately upon seeing the captain standing there beside Smee. Tala stood proud and tall on the railing, lowering her arms to her side when she met his gaze. Hook looked at the other pirates on deck.

"Get to bed. All of ye," he shouted angrily, holding Tala's intense stare. The crew muttered to themselves as the bunch dispersed and headed for the sleeping quarters below deck. "You, too, Smee." The elderly man nodded his head, the waddled off to join the rest of them. Hook waited until the deck was empty besides Tala and himself to speak again.

"What's the meaning of this, Tala?"

"It's windy tonight," Tala grumbled, turning to continue her pacing along the railing. "The wind feels good against my skin."

"Smee said you were given rum. Who gave it to you?" Hook asked plainly, trying to keep his tone level for her sake. She glanced back at him over her shoulder, then huffed and paced forwards a little more. "Tala, who gave you the bloody rum?"

"Mr. Walsh," she answered after a few seconds of silence between them. "I heard he knew where the best rum was hidden, so I went to him. Anything was better than being locked away in your stuffy cabin for a second longer."

"Did anyone put their hands on you?"

Her feet stuttered along the rail for a second. Hook tensed all over, fearing that she was going to fall overboard in that split second. Luckily, she was able to regain her balance quickly. She spun around on her heels so she was facing him again.

"What does that matter? Of course not. They would not dare unless they wish to lose that hand," she hissed like a cornered kitten. "They just wanted to watch."

Hook grimaced at that. She was back in her traditional garments, made up of hides that barely covered much more than the areas of her body that must be kept private. Her stomach, thighs, and calves were all on display for the entire crew to gawk at as they pleased. It made Hook want to send them all off the end of the plank.

"Come down, Tala."

"I'm no longer your prisoner, Hook, nor your slave," she growled, spinning on her heels to pace away from him. "I think I would rather sink into the black depths of the sea than stay on this ship for another day."

Hook took a step closer to her, worried that she would do just that, and the ocean would take her before he could even pull her out of it.

"Do you truly hate me so much, Tala? That you would die to escape me?"

"At least I would join my ancestors and finally be with my people again," Tala frowned. He could see the tears beginning to flood into her eyes, though she would not allow them to fall down her sunkissed cheeks. "I am not a pirate, Captain Hook. I do not belong on your rotten ship, or among your rotten crew. I'm not a bird you can cage, or a wolf that came be tamed."

Hook was angry, so angry. He wanted to yank her down from the railing by force and lock her away in his cabin until they reached the Isle. His inhibitions were quickly flying out the window, which is why he let slip something he meant to keep a secret.

"This bloody rotten ship and crew might be the only place you belong, since your chief sold you to Pan for protection," he snapped angrily. "Keep that in mind when you stand face to face with the black depths."

Tala stared down at him, wide-eyed and clearly unnerved by his words. Pan had said something of the sort, but Tala assumed he was lying. She couldn't believe, even for a second, that her own people betrayed her, that her family turned their backs on her for Pan's magic. The idea that Pan was telling the truth never even crossed her mind.

"D-Did Pan tell you that?"

"No," Hook sighed, knowing that there was no taking back his words now. "No, I spoke with your chief, Tala. I tried to negotiate your return. Your mother misses you terribly, but your tribe won't let you return. They will only hand you over to Pan again."

Tala stood there for a moment in stunned silence. The realization struck her in her chest and gut, sending an ache deep into her rapidly beating heart. Finally, the tears began to fall, unable to be held back a moment longer as they swelled and broke through her tough exterior.

She turned to the sea suddenly, leaning forwards on her toes. Tala cried out, howled like a wounded animal, her pain seeping into the core of even Hook himself. It didn't take long to realize that she wasn't planning to come down anytime soon. In fact, she meant to jump.

When she held her arms out and closed her eyes, Hook leapt forwards. He caught her by the waist as she began to fall forwards, toward the ocean. He dragged her back over the railing, causing them both to collapse against the wooden deck.

"Let me go! I have no place in this world anymore!" She wailed, clawing at his arms as she tried to squirm and kick her way free of his hold. "The ocean is the only place left for me. I can't stay here. I won't stay here!"

"Tala, I'm begging you!" Hook yelled desperately, hoping to get her attention and calm her down a little. "Please, do not go over that rail again. If you leap from this ship, I may not be able to find you again. Please, stay on the Jolly Roger."

"They sold me," she wept. "I'm a warrior for my tribe, and they bargained with me like I'm nothing more than a commodity."

"I know," Hook panted heavily, keeping his firm grasp on her despite how she kicked and twisted in his arms. "I know, Tala."

"I gave my life to my chief, and he gave it away," she whined, her body starting to relax finally. "What am I if I am not a warrior for my clan?"

"You're a warrior for yourself," Hook said softly. "You fight for yourself. Forget those that betrayed you. You owe them nothing, not now nor ever. Your life now belongs to you and you alone, so you must choose what to do with it. Make it worth something. Don't just throw it into the ocean to be erased entirely."

She finally gave in. His kind words were enough to calm her raging heart. Tala sank into his arms even deeper, then turned in them to bury her face in his chest. She cried hard, sobbed with her whole body for the first time in a very long time, since she was a child.

Hook just continued to hold her until the sobs began to quiet down. Once she reached the point of mere sniffles, he picked her and himself up from the deck, then took her back to his cabin to rest. This time, he stayed there with her.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Hook instinctively reached over when he woke the next morning, but his hand only flattened against his exotic silk sheets. There was no other body, no little wolf, lying in the bed next to him. He jolted upright when he realized she was gone, then flung his legs over the side of the bed.

After sliding on his shirt and captain's coat, Hook went barrelling through his cabin door. As he stepped out on deck, he noticed Mr. Smee leaning against the railing of the ship nearby, admiring the crystal blue waters they were sailing into.

"Mr. Smee," Hook called his name.

"Look, Cap'n, it's the Isle," the elderly man pointed out at the mass of land in the distance. "It's as pertty as I ever remember seein' it. Don't it feel just fine to be home again, Cap'n?"

"Smee, where is the girl?" Hook asked, not even bothering to take a look at the view that had Smee so entranced. He couldn't care less about the beautiful sea or the visage of home on the horizon, not when their guest aboard the ship was missing.

"Oh, the little miss is fine, Cap'n," Smee reassured him quickly. "She's been up in the nest all mornin' doing lord knows what, but she's fine. Nobody dare go up there in fear of walkin' the plank for it."

"Seems like the crew finally acquired some sense," Hook sighed, feeling some of the tension and worry leave his body as quickly as it arrived. "See to it that the ship be prepared to dock, Smee. We'll hit land by nightfall."

"Aye. Cap'n," Smee nodded, waddling off to give the crew Hook's orders. He was a good man, a good first mate, and Hook was extremely relieved to have him on his side. No one was as loyal as Smee was, nor could Hook trust anyone as much.

Confident that his orders would be carried out, Hook made his way over to the ladder that lead up to the crow's nest. It had been a long time since he climbed up it himself, so long ago that he was much older the last time he tried. Now young and nimble, it wouldn't be quite so difficult for him to make the climb.

Besides, this time he had an incentive.

"Oh, little wolf," he called as he approached the top of the ladder. Hook pulled himself up and into the crow's nest, sliding to the back side of it when he realized the other side was completely occupied by Tala.

She was curled up there, wearing her traditional garments still despite how he ordered her before to wear his clothing instead. There was a stone in one of her hands and a blade made of boar tusk in the other. Tala was using the stone to sharpen the edges of her ivory blade, smoothing the edges until the blade could cut through flesh with ease.

"Why are you hiding away in the nest, Tala?" Hook asked her, carefully removing his captain's hat and setting it beside him so the wind didn't catch it and carry it away. "You could have stayed in my cabin, where it's safe."

"I wanted to be alone," she answered immediately, turning her dagger over in her hand to assess the sharpness of it. "This is the only place I can be alone."

"You haven't forgiven me?"

"There are many people I haven't forgiven," she muttered, not bothering to lift her stare from the blade she was sharpening.

For some reason, she seemed to want to avoid his gaze, as if she had grown too soft to it. Tala obviously wanted to be angry at the world, and she didn't want anyone getting in the way of it, especially not Hook.

"Little wolf, listen to me-"

"I have," Tala interrupted him before he could say anything more.

"Tala-"

"I am not going to do anything foolish," she reassured him with a soft mutter.

Being cut off again silently infuriated Hook, but he grit his teeth and clenched his jaw so no harsh words could escape. She was making it clear that she wasn't ready to talk about it, so Hook had to just take the hint and give it up for the moment, at least until she decided it was time to discuss it another day.

"You told me... to live for myself. I will," she continued, sensing his annoyance with her decision not to speak about what had been revealed the night before. "I am Tala of No Tribe. Freed from duty... for the first time in my life. I need time... to adjust, James."

Hook's anger immediately faded away at the sound of his real name on her lips. His expression softened, and he let out a long sigh. Of course she needed time. Everything she had ever known, all she had been taught and raised with, had crumbled down around her in one single moment.

"You can start a new life on the Isle," he tried to encourage her. "Our community is small but welcoming. You can be happy there."

"There are more... like you?"

"Yes, Tala," Hook chuckled, "there are more like me. Only a bit fewer than your own tribe. Did you really think my crew and I were the only ones in Neverland?"

She blinked at that. Tala didn't want to admit that she had, in fact, believed that him and his crew were the only pale faced men in Neverland. Her tribe never ventured far from the shores of the mainland, so no one knew about the Isle. Not even Pan, which is likely why Hook made it his home, his safe haven.

Tala stood up and turned to look out at the sea. Her eyes fixed on the mass of land in the distance that sat on the horizon as it waited for Hook's return. Could she really start a new life there? A native among the pale faced men. Tala was afraid, but she had little choice in the matter. Her old life was over, destroyed, and the only option she had was to forge a new one.

* * *

Hook was wrong about his estimated arrival time. The Jolly Roger didn't touch the shores of the Isle until dawn the next day, since the wind decided to work against them. The sun was just about to peek over the horizon when the ship was tied to the dock.

Tala watched the crew scramble about, securing everything on the ship and removing all their personal belongings from the cabins below deck. The plank was propped up against the dock to make it easier to walk down, and all of the lanterns on the ship were extinguished, leaving it in darkness until the sun rose.

The moment her bare feet touched the soft sand, Tala felt an overwhelming amount of relief. Having land beneath her instead of a merciless sea was much more comforting. As soon as she stepped on the shore, she lifted her gaze to look around.

This place was much different than her camp back on the mainland. It was filled with buildings made of wood and thatch roofs rather than the hide tents and lean-tos she was used to. It seemed much more advanced, much more comfortable, than what she had known her whole life.

It wasn't just a camp, it was an entire village.

"Don't worry, lassie," Smee spoke from beside her. She turned to him, eyes full of an anxiety even she didn't realize was plaguing her. "You'll be alright here."

"She'll be the only savage in the Isle," Mr. Walsh, a particularly honest pirate, muttered as he passed by her with arms full of crates and luggage. "I wish you luck, little wolf."

Tala didn't like the tone of his voice. He made it sound like she was going to be hated by the people of the Isle because she was a native of Neverland. If that was the case, maybe she couldn't get the fresh start in life that she needed. Maybe it would be just as tumultuous and unwelcoming on the Isle as it was among Hook's unsavory crew.

"Are you ready, Tala?" Hook spoke over her shoulder. She dropped her gaze to her feet, not wanting him to see just how nervous she really was. "This is my home. Consider yourself lucky to ever see it. No one from the mainland has ever been here before, especially not a savage."

Her head jerked up suddenly so she could shoot him a glare. Tala felt suddenly offended by the word, as if it injured her already fractured dignity. She let out a small growl, then began walking up the shoreline, wanting to be alone again, to be away from Hook and his crew.

Whatever this new life brought, Tala knew she must forge a path on her own. She didn't want Hook's help, or to be locked away in his quarters like some kind of pet. Tala was determined to figure it out on her own, even if the people of the Isle hated her.

But Tala did long for familiar faces. She longed for her home and her people more than she would ever admit out loud. If she was going to survive in this new world, she was going to need allies. Something more than just Hook and Smee.

Hook watched her leave with furrowed brows. There was a moment, brief as it was, that he felt like he was growing closer to the skittish little wolf. He could touch her without her recoiling, without her flinching. He even made her smile once, and he found himself longing for that power again. Now that she was on the Isle, he hoped she could find a new family. Tala deserved that much after all she gave to her old one.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

It took nearly three days to get Tala to leave the comfort of the shore. Hook found her sleeping in his cabin aboard an empty Jolly Roger, curled up on the pile of blankets on the floor that once served as her only bed. Now, she had a choice, yet she chose to sleep there again.

After some convincing, Tala finally followed Hook further inland. He told her to stay by his side, to follow him while he completed his daily errands. Hook hoped that if he escorted her around the small village, she mind feel a little more comfortable and familiar with the territory. She couldn'thide away on an empty ship forever, after all.

Tala was anxious as she was lead around town, especially when they went into crowded places. Her camp was less noisy, and there was much more fresh air to fill her lungs. These buildings were more closed in and much stuffier than her tent back home.

No place was as noisy and stuff than the town tavern.

From the moment Tala followed Hook through the loosely attached wooden door, she was bombarded with gravelly laughter and shouting. A glass broke somewhere in the room, causing her to tense all over. Her instincts were on high alert, ready to kick in at even the smallest sign of a threat. Her sharpened ivory dagger was hanging in a makeshift holster at her hip.

Some of the noisy men, who had previously been pounding down rum one tankard at a time, stopped to stare the moment Tala came through the door. Hook had been worried about the attention she might draw in a place like the tavern, especially with such revealing little slips of fur serving as her only means of coverage.

He walked her past all of the tables, straight to the bar at the back of the room. Hook pulled up one of the wooden stools and pointed at it.

"Sit."

"I am not a dog," Tala frowned up at him.

"I'm well aware of that. My eyes do still work," Hook grumbled in annoyance. "But I do have some business to attend to with a friend of mine in the back room. She's not very trusting of strangers, and she especially won't trust the likes of you. So sit and wait for me here."

Tala let out a defeated sigh, then climbed up to sit on the wooden stool like he asked her to. She leaned forwards against the bar top, then folded her arms and dropped her chin onto them. Hook almost cracked a grin at her pouting, but he managed to hide it. When he was certain she was going to stay put, he disappeared through an old oak door to the right of the bar.

Being alone made her even more alert than before. She listened to every sound as well as she could. The men had mostly gone back to doing whatever they were doing before, chatting, drinking, and jeering at one another. Only a few continued to stare at her, and she could feel their distrustful gazes boring into her back.

Suddenly she felt more than just the heat of their stairs. Tala yelped when something hard and cold suddenly struck her back. She felt liquid splash against and run down the bare skin along her spine that her furs left exposed. Her hands gripped the counter, nails digging into the wood, as she waited for the immediate pain of a heavy tankard hitting her spine pass.

Her teeth bared, and a low growl resonated in her chest. Her body prepared itself for a fight, perhaps to the death if no one bothered to stop her. Just as she was about to whirl around and pounce on the first man she saw with empty hands, large fingers curled around her hand where it gripped the counter and held it in place.

"Mr. Morrow, if ye ever harm another patron of mine again, I will return the harm upon ye tenfold," a voice spoke in front of her. Tala looked up to see a man standing there, the same man who was now gripping her hand tightly to keep her from starting a fight she was destined to lose.

He was young, maybe even a little younger than Hook, with youthful but defined features. He had sandy blonde hair that was unkempt, shaggy, and fell in his face in some places. His eyes were a piercing blue, crystal like the sea roaring outside the little tavern. If Tala was being honest, she found him to be quite handsome.

"That thing ain't no patron. It's a dirty savage," Mr. Morrow spit back from behind her.

Tala kept her head low and continued to look forward. If she saw his face she may not be able to hold herself back anymore, no matter who was trying to keep her in place.

"Yer the dirtiest thing in here, Mr. Morrow, but ye don't hear me complainin'. I ain't throwin' drinks at ye even though ye smell like rotten cod," the man behind the bar countered. "Now give the poor girl an apology before I kick yer barnacle-ridden rear right out of my tavern."

Tala heard the man grumble something under his breath, then heard him slide back in his chair. He shuffled over to where she was sitting, and even though she refused to even look at him, he did as he was told to do.

"Sorry fer throwin' my drink at ye," Mr. Morrow sighed his defeat. "It won't be happenin' again."

"Now go back to yer drinkin' and leave my customers alone."

The man behind the bar pulled a rag from the pocket of the dirty white apron he wore around his waist. Tala was still seething, but she remained perfectly still even when he released her hand, which he had held firmly against the counter. She flexed her fingers as he made his way around the bar, taking in a deep, steadying breath.

"I'm sorry 'bout that," he said softly once he was standing behind her. He used the rag in his hand to gently dab at her rum-covered shoulders and back. "Our kind doesn't have the best history with yours, if ye know what I mean."

"My kind doesn't know yours exists," Tala muttered, allowing him to wipe away the liquor dripping down her spine. "I didn't know anyone pale men existed beyond Hook and his crew."

"Someone that seems more insultin'," he chuckled. "I gotta ask ye, lass. What're you doin' all the way our here at the Isle? Yer mighty far from home, aren't ye?"

"I was a prisoner," she answered honsstly. "Now I don't have a home. I-" She cut off her own words and flinched when she felt his fingertips press into a particularly tender spot next to her spine, the same spot that Mr. Morrow hit with his drink.

"Ye might get a bruise here. These tankards are heavy," he told her. "Does it hurt too bad?"

"I am fine," she replied calmly.

Tala was busy hiding her flustered face to really listen to what he was saying. She wasn't used to having her bare skin touched by strange men. Only Hook had ever really out his hands on her before, and it made her just as flustered, if not more. It was still a strange sensation for Tala.

"I appreciate ye not startin' a brawl today," the man joked with her as he made his way back around to his side if the bar. "I know he deserved whatever ye had planned, but blood is so hard to scrub outta the wood on the floor."

"Thank you," Tala cleared her throat, still a little red in the cheeks. "For defending me. I know that... your kind sees me as a savage."

"Well everybody fears what's different from them," he shrugged his shoulders. "Some of us have enough sense to know we're all just people tryin' to find paradise. These folks think the mainland is paradise, and they think those kids and your tribe are what's keepin' us away from it. Others like me know ye can make anyplace paradise. We don't need anythin' more than what we got right here."

"It's not... much different where I'm from. It's just another island. The only way to make it paradise is to make a deal with Pan," Tala huffed out, dropping her gaze again. "This island is paradise to me because it's free from that little... monster."

The look in her eyes made it obvious that she had a deeply rooted disdain for Peter Pan. There was an old pain there, as well as a hatred that grew stronger day by day.

"What's yer name, lass?" The barkeep asked in hopes of changing the subject. She hesitated for a moment, but decided he seemed trustworthy enough.

"Tala."

"Tala," he repeated with a nod. "What's it mean? I heard most natives have a name that means something important."

She almost smiled. It was rare and refreshing to hear someone call her something other than a savage. Native was a much nicer word, and she was grateful that he chose to use it instead of the word every other pale man used for her and her people.

"It means wolf," she explained softly. "Tala means wolf."

"Well, from what I've seen of ye, that's a mighty fittin' name," he grinned, making his face even more handsome than before. "My name is Sebastian Ryker. If ye be needin' anything, ye can come find me here. I'll pour ye a pint on the house for yer troubles today."

"Thank you," she smiled genuinely. It had been so long since she really smiled, and it warmed her from the inside out. "I'll remember that, Sebastian."

* * *

Captain Hook finished up with his business rather quickly. He had rushed through it so Tala didn't have to wait too long for him to return. She was new to the Isle, new to these people, and he didn't trust everyone to be tolerant of her presence considering where she came from.

However, when he stepped out of the back room, the first thing he saw was Tala smiling in a way he thought impossible. What really got under his skin was the fact that it was a man, a stranger, making her smile like that. The young bartender that Mrs. Harbor hired a year ago to manage the bar in her stead.

"Oh, little wolf," Hook cleared his throat to get her attention. When she turned to him, and their eyes met, that pretty smile faded away entirely. Watching it vanish from her expression sent a pang through his chest that he didn't understand.

"Hook," she blinked at him slowly. "Are you done with your business?"

"Yes. We'll be heading out now," he muttered, eyes flicking up to meet Sebastian's gaze. The younger man held his stare for a moment, before returning to his bar work behind the counter, cleaning glasses and the like. Hook let out an involuntary huff. How dare the lad make such a face at Hook. As if he was some kind of captor holding Tala against her will.

"Let's go, Tala."

She glanced back at Sebastian one more time, then slid off the stool to walk over to where Hook was waiting for her to join him at his side. She followed behind him as he walked quickly and aggressively out of the old front door.

Tala assumed that the business didn't go well. It was the only thing she could think of that would have soured his mood so dramatically. What she didn't know, was that it was actually her pretty smile that ruined his mood.


End file.
